Steam-engine indicator.



vNo. 740,211. I PATENTED SEPT. 29, 1903 F. ABERLE.

STEAM ENGINE INDIGATOIL. APPLICATION FILED APR. 5. 1902.

N0 MODEL.

a 4- 1a 5 16 J 1 16 WITNESSES: J INVENTOR F 8, M %.J ZM

UNITED STATES Patented September 29, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

STEAM-ENGINE INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 740,211, datedSeptember 29, 1903.

Application filed April 5, 1902. Serial No. 101,602. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, FREDERICK ABERLE, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSteam-Engine Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in steam-engine indicators; andit consists in certain details of construction whereby the spool or drumcarriage can be operated independently of the paper-carrying drum orboth drum-carriage and drum operated together.

To enable others to understand my invention, reference is had to theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a side elevation ofthe drum and drum-carriage and broken view of the driving-cord. Fig. 2is acentral sectional view of the drum-carriage and elevating-nut. Fig.3 is a central sectional view of the drum, showing the same elevated outof drivingengagement with the drum-carriage. Fig. 4 is a detail upperplan view of the support for the drum. Fig. 5 is a broken sectional viewof the lower part of the drum, full view of the drum-carriage, showing amodified construction for driving the drum. Fig. 6 is an upper plan viewof the upper surface of the drum-carriage shown at Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is abroken sectional view of the lower part of the drum, full view of thedrum-carriage, being a modified construction for supporting the drumdirectly on the upper surface of said carriage. Fig. 8 is a detail planview of the plate connected with the drum-lifting mechanism.

Its construction and operation are as follows:

1 is the drum; 2, the drum-carriage; 2, upper surface of the same; 3,the drivingcord connected with said carriage in the usual manner.Heretofore the drum-carriage was provided with a vertical circularflange extending a short distance above its upper surface, to whichflange the lower open mouth of the drum was firmly attached byfrictional contact, so that both drum and carriage would rotate inunison. With this construction it was necessary to unhook thedriving-cord and stop both the drum and its carriage in order to removeone paper from the drum and insert another. With myimprovement I have soconstructed the carriage and drum that the drum can be temporarilysuspended from the rotative influence of its carriage while the changeabove described is taking place.

Referring to Fig. 2, 4 is a circular projection rising from the uppersurface 2 of the carriage and integral therewith. Its upper end isprovided (see also Fig. 4) with the circular flanged portion 4.

5 is a web secured to the interior of the drum 1, and 6 is a circularhub portion secured to said web. The lower end of this hub is providedwith the flanged portion 6, corresponding to the flange 4 of thedrum-supporting projection 4 of the carriage.

7 is a driving-pin carried by the upper flange 6, which pin is adaptedto engage with the hole 8 in the lower flange 4, so as to bringthe drumunder the rotative or oscillating influence of the carriage.

9 is the usual drum-supporting stud, which stud passes freely throughthe drum and carriage, but is adapted to fit snugly in the spring-case10. The lower end of said stud carries the usual tightening-nut 11 forsecuring the entire construction to the frame (not shown) of theindicator.

12isacombineddrum-tighteninganddrumlifting nut mounted upon the upperprojecting end of the stud 9. The upper end of this nut has the femalethreaded portion 12, adapted to engage the short male-threaded portion 9at the top'of the stud 9 for the purpose presently to be described. g

13 is a plug screwed into the lower end of the nut 12, having a femalethread in its lower end adapted to engage with the short male thread 9'of the stud 9.

14 (see also Fig. 8) is a thin metal plate having the large central hole14, adapted to loosely embrace the smooth shank portion 13 of the stud13. 15 represents holes in said plate to receive the screws 16 forsecuring it to the top 1 of the drum. The object of making the nut intwo parts is to make a better connection with the plate 14, andtherefore the whole construction will simply be designated as a nut.

WVhenever it is found desirable to raise the drum outof the rotativeinfluence of thecarriage and bring it to a standstill, the nut 12 isturned until it is disengaged from the threaded portion 9 of the stud 9,whenit is carried overthe threadless portion 9 until its upper threadedportion is brought into ongag ement with the upper threaded portion 9 ofthe said stud. This will have carried the flanges 4 and 6", Fig. 4, farenough apart to havedisengagedthedriving-pin 7. Thedrum will now be at astandstill, while the carriage 2 will continue to rotate. Breaking theengagement of the nut with the threaded portion 9.of the stud will causesaid nut to fall of its ownweight until the lower end of the nut restson the top of the threaded portion 9 of the drum-stud. However, beforeit reaches said threaded portion the end of the driving-pin will havecome into engagement with the upper surface of the rotating flange ofthe carriage and will instantly drop into the hole 8, Fig. 4, of saidflange and be again brought under the rotative influence of saidcarriage. The nut is then screwed down firmly ontothe drum. The purposeof the threadless portion 9 of the stud 9 is to enable the drum, asbefore mentioned, to fall by gravity and rengage with the carriagebefore the threaded portion 9 is engaged by the nut; otherwise if thethread continued the entire distance and the engagement of the pin 7 wascontrolled by such thread the nut might be tightened before the pin '7had dropped into the hole 8, and thus make an imperfect engagement. Ifdesired, the holes in the flange 4: could be increased to any desirednumber, so as to insure a quicker engagement of the pin. Iffounddesirable, also, the plate let couldbe made flexible, so as to act as aspring. 7

In the modification shown at Fig. 5 the driving-pin '7 is secured to theWeb 5 and is adapted to enter the hole 8, Fig. 6. This arrangement is asefflcient as that shown in the other views.

Another modification is shown at Fig. 7, wherein the flange portion 6 ofthe hub 6 is supported directly on the upper surface of thedrum-carriage, the driving-pin entering a hole (not shown) in such uppersurface.

While I show and describe means whereby the drum is brought under therotative influence of its carriage, and call the same a driving-pin,Iwish it distinctly understood that this term comprises any and allequivalent means whereby the said drum and carriage can be readilyconnected and disconnected for the purpose described.

While I show the web 5 placed Within the drum and carrying a flanged hubadapted either to rest on a flanged projection rising from the upperplate of the drum-carriage or resting directly on: such upper surface orplate, I Wish it distinctly understood that I do not wishto be confinedto this exact construction, as the web could be lowered so as to closethe month of the drum, which would then give the drum a top and bottomhead with the lower head resting directly on the upper surface of thecarriage or on a slight other, said engagement adapted to be readilydisconnected or broken, so that the drum may be raised on its stud andtemporarily held out of engagement with its carriage, and means forsecuring the drum to the carriage when the two are brought intoengagement with each other;

'Having thus described my invention, what I claim 'as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. An improvement in steam-engine indicators, comprising, in combinationwith an oscillating drum-carriage, a paper-carrying drum and a centralsupporting-stud therefor, of a driver on said carriage adapted to bringsaid drum under the rotative influence of said carriage, the upperportion of said stud threaded, means provided on the upper end of saiddrum to engage said threaded portion and elevate said drum out of therotative influence of said carriage, for the purpose set forth.

carriage into operative engagement with each 2. An improvement insteam-engine indifluence of said carriage, for the purpose set forth.

.3. The herein-described improvement in steam-engine indicators,comprising, in combination with an oscillating drum-carriage and acentral drumsupporting stud, a drum adapted to have both a vertical andahorizontal movement on said stud independent of the carriage, a driverto bring said drum under the oscillating influence of said carriage, theupper projecting end of the stud having threaded portions separated fromeach other, a combined lifting and tightening nut mounted on suchprojecting end, a plate at tached to the upper end of said drum andloosely connected with said nut so that, by Signed at Bridgeport, in thecounty of Fairmeans of said nut, plate and threaded porfield and Stateof Connecticut, this 24th day tions of the stud, the drum may beelevated of March, A. D. 1902.

and brought to a standstill or into recipro- FREDERICK ABERLE. v 5 calrelation with the carriage and tempora- Witnesses:

rily maintained there, for the purpose se E. F. ABERLE,

forth. A. K. LOVELL.

